scholarly journals A Surrogate for Liver Function: The Usefulness of Liver Enhancement in Hepatobiliary Phase in MRI Liver using Hepatocyte Specific Contrast Agent

Author(s):  
Yaacob Nur Yazmin
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ute Lina Fahlenkamp ◽  
Katharina Ziegeler ◽  
Lisa Christine Adams ◽  
Sarah Maria Böker ◽  
Günther Engel ◽  
...  

Abstract Previous studies have shown gadoxetate disodium’s potential to represent liver function by its retention in the hepatobiliary phase. Additionally, in cardiac imaging, quantitative characterization of altered parenchyma is established by extracellular volume (ECV) calculation with extracellular contrast agents. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to evaluate whether intracellular accumulation capacity (IAC) of gadoxetate disodium derived from ECV calculation provides added scientific value in terms of liver function compared to the established parameter reduction rate (RR). After local review board approval, 105 patients undergoing standard MR examination with gadoxetate disodium were included. Modified Look-Locker sequences were obtained before and 20 min after contrast agent administration. RR and IAC were calculated and correlated with serum albumin, as a marker of synthetic liver function. Correlation was higher between IAC and albumin, than between RR and albumin. Additionally, capacity of both RR and IAC to distinguish between patients with or without liver cirrhosis was investigated, and differed significantly in their respective means between patients with cirrhosis and those without. We concluded, that the formula to calculate ECV can be transferred to calculate IAC of gadoxetate disodium in hepatocytes, and, thereby, IAC may possibly qualify as an imaging-based parameter to estimate synthetic liver function.


2016 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 546-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minglong Liang ◽  
Jun Zhao ◽  
Bing Xie ◽  
Chuanming Li ◽  
Xuntao Yin ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsutomu Tamada ◽  
Katsuyoshi Ito ◽  
Kazuya Yasokawa ◽  
Atsushi Higaki ◽  
Akihiko Kanki ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the process of biliary excretion of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) into the biliary tract and to assess the accumulation patterns in the gallbladder using MR cholangiography obtained with Gd-EOB-DTPA which is a liver-specific hepatobiliary contrast agent. Seventy-five patients underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MR imaging. Serial multiphasic hepatobiliary phase imaging was qualitatively reviewed to evaluate the process of the biliary excretion of contrast agent into the bile duct and the gallbladder. The accumulation pattern of contrast agent into gallbladder was classified into two groups (group 1 = orthodromic type and group 2 = delayed type). Furthermore, the results in differences of the presence of T1 hyperintense bile or sludge of gallbladder, gall stones, wall thickening of gallbladder, chronic liver disease, and liver cirrhosis between two groups were compared. Forty-eight of 75 patients (64%) were included in group 1, and remaining 27 (36%) were in group 2. The frequency of the presence of T1 hyperintense bile or sludge of gallbladder was significantly higher in patients with group 2 than that in patients with group 1 (P=0.041). MR cholangiography obtained with Gd-EOB-DTPA showed that there may be an association between the biliary accumulation pattern in the gallbladder and the pathological condition.


2009 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 1502-1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshige Mori ◽  
Ken Furuya ◽  
Satoru Akimoto ◽  
Risa Ajioka ◽  
Takashi Emoto

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-221
Author(s):  
Karina K. Lomovtseva ◽  
G. G. Karmazanovsky

Nowadays, it is difficult to overestimate the role of cross-sectional imaging in the diagnosis of focal and diffuse liver diseases. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) there is a unique opportunity to use hepatospecific contrast agents compared with other visualization techniques. Gadoxetic acid is a hepatospecific magnetic resonance contrast agent which has the extracellular contrast agent properties and hepatotropic property. About half of the administered dose of gadoxetic acid enters into functioning hepatocytes through cell membrane transporters and then is excreted into the bile ducts and sinusoidal space. The obtained hepatobiliary phase provides information about the structural features of the focal liver lesions, improving their detection and differential diagnosis. In addition it allows to assess the anatomical and functional conditions of the hepatobiliary system. This article describes clinical applications of MRI with gadoxetic acid and its benefits, visualization principles of different focal liver lesions in hepatobiliary phase and features of the obtained images.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Yang ◽  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Wenlu Zhao ◽  
Wen Cheng ◽  
Han Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Previous studies have used signal intensity (SI) to reflect liver function. However, few studies have evaluated liver function via the portal vein. Regarding the SI of the liver, spleen, and portal vein, no study has indicated which can best reflect liver function. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether these parameters can evaluate liver function in patients with cirrhosis and determine which is the best parameter.Methods: 120 patients with normal livers (n = 41) or Child–Pugh class A (n = 50), B (n = 21) or C (n = 8) disease who had undergone Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were retrospectively reviewed. Comparisons of the MRI data (liver parenchyma SI, portal vein SI, and spleen SI and liver-to-portal vein contrast ratio (LPC), liver-to-spleen contrast ratio (LSC), and portal vein-to-spleen contrast ratio (PSC)) in the 15-min hepatobiliary phase images were performed among the groups, and the correlations among the liver function parameters (total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin, creatinine, platelet count, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio), liver function scores and MRI data were also quantitatively analysed.Results: Significant differences were observed in the liver parenchyma SI, LPC and LSC among the groups. These values all decreased gradually from normal livers to Child–Pugh class C cirrhotic livers (P < 0.001). The portal vein SI constantly and slightly increased from normal livers to Child–Pugh class C cirrhotic livers, but no differences were found among the groups in the portal vein SI and PSC (P > 0.05). LPC showed a stronger correlation with the Child–Pugh score and MELD score than LSC and the liver parenchyma SI. The order of the AUCs of these parameters, from largest to smallest, was as follows: LPC, LSC, and liver parenchyma SI (P > 0.05).Conclusion: The liver parenchyma SI, LSC and LPC may be used as alternative imaging biomarkers to assess liver function, while the portal vein SI and PSC do not reflect liver function. Furthermore, LPC values can more effectively distinguish severity among patients with cirrhosis than the liver parenchyma SI and LSC.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Yang ◽  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Wenlu Zhao ◽  
Wen Cheng ◽  
Han Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Previous studies used the signal intensity (SI) to reflect liver function. However, there are still few studies on the assessment of liver function via the portal vein, and no study has pointed out that in terms of SI (liver, spleen, portal vein), which one can better reflect liver function. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether these parameters can be used to evaluate liver function in patients with cirrhosis and determine which parameter is best.Methods: A total of 120 patients with normal livers (n = 41) or Child–Pugh class A (n = 50), B (n = 21) or C (n = 8) disease who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were retrospectively reviewed. Comparisons of the SI of the liver parenchyma, portal vein, and spleen and liver-to-portal vein (LPC), liver-to-spleen (LSC), and portal vein-to-spleen (PSC) contrast ratios on the 15-min hepatobiliary phase images were performed among groups, and the correlations among liver function parameters (total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin, creatinine, platelet count, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio), liver function scores and MRI date were also quantitatively analyzed.Results: Significant differences were observed in the SI of the liver parenchyma, LPC and LSC among groups. These values all decreased gradually from normal livers to Child–Pugh class C cirrhotic livers (P < 0.001). The SI of the portal vein constantly and slightly increased from normal livers to Child–Pugh class C cirrhotic livers, but there were no differences among groups in portal vein signal and PSC (P > 0.05). LPC had a stronger correlation with Child-Pugh score and MELD score than LSC and liver parenchyma SI. The order of the AUCs of these parameters, from largest to smallest, was as follows: LPC, LSC, and liver parenchyma SI (P > 0.05).Conclusion: Liver parenchyma SI, LSC and LPC may be used as alternative imaging biomarkers for assessing liver function, while the portal vein signal and PSC could not reflect liver function. Furthermore, LPC values can more effectively distinguish severity among patients with cirrhosis than liver parenchyma SI and LSC.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshige Mori ◽  
Hanaka Machimura ◽  
Amika Iwaya ◽  
Masaru Baba ◽  
Ken Furuya

Abstract The liver-spleen contrast (LSC) using hepatobiliary-phase images could replace the receptor index (LHL15) in liver scintigraphy; however, few comparative studies exist. This study aimed to verify the convertibility from LSC into LHL15. In 136 patients, the LSC, not at 20 min, but at 60 min after injecting gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid was compared with the LHL15, albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score, and the related laboratory parameters. The LHL15 was also compared with their biochemical tests. The correlation coefficients of LSC with LHL15, ALBI score, total bilirubin, and albumin were 0.740, − 0.624, − 0.606, and 0.523 (P < 0.00001), respectively. The correlation coefficients of LHL15 with ALBI score, total bilirubin, and albumin were − 0.647, − 0.553, and 0.569 (P < 0.00001), respectively. The linear regression equation on the estimated LHL15 (eLHL15) from LSC was eLHL15 = 0.460 • LSC + 0.727 (P < 0.00001) and the coefficient of determination was 0.548. Regarding a contingency table using imaging-based clinical stage classification, the degree of agreement between eLHL15 and LHL15 was 65.4 %, and Cramer's V was 0.568 (P < 0.00001). Therefore, although the LSC may be influenced by high total bilirubin, the eLHL15 can replace the LSC as an index to evaluate liver function.


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